All the King's Men
by Catboytrades
Summary: King is looking for answers to what happened to him several years ago. He will do anything to find out what happened that day... even take revenge on a man he had never met.
1. Chapter 1

All the King's Men

They waited in the brush and watched their enemy march past. It was close to dawn and none of the men wanted to fight such a large number of foes without the light of day with them. They are not rouges or assassins, though some had the skill of those that frequented those professions, they were soldiers under King, the true ruler of the Kingdom of the Winds.

Many of the men that waited looked on at the forces. The Queen's army numbered in the hundreds of thousands, comprised of Orcs, Goblins, Mercenaries, and every other species and rank of creature that kept to the dark places in the world. Though hated by others... they were powerful.

An Orc could easily take out a small squad of new soldiers, seasoned veterans did better in groups but alone it was nearly always a death sentence. One man shivered as he thought he saw a large stone creature turn to the reeds and gaze at them. The man to the left of him gestured that the creature was blind and as long as they kept quiet it would not ⌠see" them.

At the forefront of this group of men was the 2nd in command of his majesties armies, Cartus of the Demon Sword. His glasses were in his pocket so not to give a reflective surface and the sword he usually kept on his back was left at the camp nearly 3 miles behind them. The sword could easily be detected by their Seekers (Small squat creatures that could detect magical items) and he was sent here only to view their forces... not to engage them.

After two hours of watching the march Cartus turned and slowly made his way back through the brush. His men soon followed. Their count for the march was nearly eight hundred thousand troops, one hundred thousand of which were heavy archers and another hundred thousand of cavalry.

Against the entire army of King (which numbered only four hundred thousand at its height) they would have been destroyed. Cartus had decided before that they needed many more troops but King had told him before that their numbers were not the issue.

Morale was.

*******************************************************

King was back at base camp... his mind locked on the flames of the fire pit in front of him. He was thinking about how he was going to get his kingdom back... how he would be able to lead his people to victory.... and most important of all, how to get his revenge on Queen Tessla for the death of Jeddan.

It has been a year since he had joined with his people and left the Palace. A year since the day he blacked out and woke up next to the body of Jeddan. He did not know what happened; he told Tessla that he would never enter that room unless it was okayed by Tessla herself. Krynn had been killed and he nearly escaped with his life.

Cartus had found him in a village outside the eastern reaches of the Kingdom. He was sitting in a bar, downing ale. Cartus brought him to Syn of Tongues, a childhood friend of his, and a small band of loyal soldiers to King. Syn had nursed him back to health and eased his aching heart.

Syn of Tongue was daughter to two of the most talented royal interpreters in the entire continent, or perhaps even the world. Syn herself gained her parents talents but was also an accomplished fighter. Trained with Master at Arms Krynn along side King, they had both grown up together until the age of nine, where Syn left with her parents to go overseas to work for Orros, King of the Kingdom of the Plains.

Syn had come back to the Kingdom of the winds when King reached the age of twenty summers, by then King had met and married Jeddan of the golden sands, the daughter of farmer and servant to Fallan, Princess of the Kingdom of the Sands. She told King how she felt about the man he had become and smiled as he had told her that she was his friend. To King friends were like precious jewels... he treasured them above all others. She had stayed with him as a personal Guard and interpreter for his court.

This lasted until four summers had passed and Queen Jeddan became ill. A healer named Tessla of the Fires, came to the palace and began her care of the Queen. Syn learned of what Tessla was planning, how she was poisoning the Queen so she would not conceive an heir to the throne and convince King to take her as a bride.

Syn told King of this and Tessla was questioned. However Tessla was a powerful Mage and had been drugging King with a highly potent hypnotic. King believed Tessla and Syn left as a result.

Now that King had lost his kingdom he spent most of his time with his friends, Syn and Cartus, trying to make up for the lost years. For his past mistakes towards his people.

⌠King?" a voice called to him, breaking the hold of the past on his mind and forcing him to look up. Before him stood Syn. Her hair was pulled back into two ponytails. Like always she was battle ready with her bracers on her arms and her staff in her right hand, yet her face was still kind, something an enemy on the field would never have the pleasure of seeing.

⌠Yes?" he asked feeling the roughness in his voice then took a swig of the water that was beside him,■ What is wrong, Syn?"

Syn slowly made her was beside him and sat down, ⌠Cartus states the enemy is large. Much larger than our own. They outnumber us greatly."

⌠So what you▓re saying is they have a lot of men." He smiled, knowing she would push the subject on how large the numbers of the enemy were until Evening feast.

⌠And Orcs ... and stone elementals"

King nodded, ⌠and we have?"

⌠Four Hundred thousand men ready to fight for our kingdom."

He smiled and reached out to her and pulled her to his side, " And how many of our people can easily take out an Orc or stone elemental?"

Syn sighed," King if we are to win we are to need more men... I say we should go to the Dark Jungles to the south... ask for help from the Allons... their number are great!"

⌠And they hate men." He shook his head, ⌠They like you Syn because you are a woman and a great warrior. They like me because I was not above making a fool of myself for them." He shut his eyes and slumped his shoulders, " If they came here then the men would be distracted and they would kill everyone they would see... including our own soldiers."

⌠We would win!" she growled.

⌠I not will slit the throats of my own men just so I can get my throne back." He countered, ⌠They deserve someone like my father that kept his mind and his kingdom through the worst of times."

Syn leapt to her feet and kicked King hard in the side, ⌠Your father would spit on you if he was here. Seeing his son acting in such a way." She stomped to the other side of the fire and stared at him through the flames. In her mind she was yelling at him cursing him for acting in such a manner... her heart however was wishing to take him into her arms... like the first night he was brought to the camp.

⌠You are strong... but living with that witch has made you question yourself." she continued... her voice had softened... but not by much. ⌠Do you not see that every one in this camp would grab a sword, spear, or bow and follow you into the gates of the underworld just if you told them to."

He nodded, " However I need to know what happened during that time I blacked out at the palace.... I need to see the Grand Oracle." He kept his eyes on Syn and watched her reaction. She did not move or bat an eyelash. " I have a feeling he will be able to tell me what happened to me."

Syn nodded and felt her body grow cold despite the heat of the flames. She did not like the Grand Oracle or the sect that he commanded. Granted her distrust of him stemmed from two sources. From the follower of the Grand Oracle that now sat on the throne in the kingdom of the winds and of the prophecy the Grand Oracle had given her when she was eight summers old.

" So when do we leave?" she asked King.

" We will leave as soon as Cartus returns... I need him to watch the men and if needed unleash his sword on anyone that tries to attack." He replied as he stood and walked out of the command tent and out into the parade grounds. His men were busy keeping weapons sharp and their mounts fed. A few of the men were sparing to the east of him while another group were test firing arrows.

****************************************************

Cartus made it back to the camp before Midday with his men. They were lucky that they did not meet anyone on the way back for it they did they would be sorely out matched, most had taken only daggers and light leather armor to scout ahead. However not to say these men would have not come back for they would have but they would be worse for the wear.

" King they have a large army... I doubt that we will be able to defend against such a large number." Cartus explained to the King in the command tent. Syn was sitting between the two, Cartus' right and King's left.

Syn nodded. " We need to get some more people to help us."

King folded his hands and then sighed, " Cartus... I am going to see the Grand Oracle. I need you to stay here. Depending on what he says I will make a decision on what we will do."

Cartus nodded. " Can you leave the mages with me then... I need to make sure there are people powerful enough to take me down if I lose control of the sword." Cartus' eyes were hidden by his glasses now and many would not know if he was kidding or being deathly serious.

King however knew his friend well and nodded in return. " I will leave the mages with you."

Cartus smiled and nodded, " Now then sir... about Gen. Ryston?"

King lifted his hand. " When we return. no sooner... and in private."

Syn was angered by this. She was his friend and his first in command. Why was he not discussing with her General Ryston? She knew the man and hated him as well.

General Ryston had been one of the many Leaders of the guardsmen. He was also another friend of King. However when Tessla took power Ryston stayed behind due to the offer of money from the Queen. He had lead many battles against King's troops and many had died because of him.

However she quieted herself. She did not wish to upset King before meeting with the Grand Oracle. He would want to leave her behind with Cartus and she wanted to use this time with him to show him how much he meant to her. And hopefully hear how he felt about her.

*****************************************************

The march to the Grand Oracle was long. The temple of the Oracle had once been dedicated to a Goddess of Light and joy, now the priests inside asked for instructions from the Goddess's of Time, Mortality, and Death. Those were seen to the priests as the offspring of the Goddess of Light and Joy.

It was located on and island in the middle of a lake. A boatman lived next to the shore and would ferry food and supplies to the priests every month and if needed patrons to the temple if paid for his work. One man had joked that he was the son of the Goddess, Greed. However that man's skull was now attached to the bow of the medium sized boat that the boatman would use in his labors.

When they arrived the boatman was gone and King decided to wait until his return while Syn and the three meant that followed (Gal, Trist, and Den) walked to the boatman's hut and searched for info about the man.

Several hours passed until King called out to his group. The boatman was coming and he had passengers. Syn and the three men dashed into the brush while King hid into the boatman's home... watching the arrival of the group through spaces in the hut's boards.

The boatman was hunched over and had a large smile on his face. Whoever it was that he had taken across the lake had been very wealthy for he had two large bags beside him... probably filled with gold. Behind him were two Orcs and between them was a woman wearing a crown. King bit his cheek as he watched the woman get out of the boat and head to a garrison of mounted Orcs and goblins. Queen Tessla had visited the Grand Oracle and King felt his hand reach from the sword at his side. He didn't know how close he would have gotten to her before her Orcs cut him down but he felt the burning urge inside him to take this creature down.

Syn slipped up behind him and held him down as the Queen rode away. Her Orcs followed her slowly... until only one Orc was left in the boat. That Orc drew his sword and thrust it through the boatman. Syn used every martial arts technique she knew to hold King into place... and it wasn't until the sound of the horses hooves were long since a memory that she let go of him.

King jumped to his feet and glared at Syn. Cursing her for letting the Queen go. Then slowly he left the shack to remove the body of the boatman and call out the others. They would have a long boat ride ahead of them. 


	2. Chapter 2

All the King's Men Part 2

King sat in the rowboat and kept going over the things he was going to ask the Grand Oracle. It helped that the three other soldiers they brought with them were rowing while Syn and himself were sitting at the back of the boat, he could stare at the black water and think only of the task at hand.

Syn was the first to break the silence, ⌠King.... why do you want to know what happened... it will not change the past." she spoke slowly and bluntly. The other men didn't say anything to either discount or encourage her but the knew how she felt. Granted most of the army knew how she felt about King.

King turned to her and narrowed his eyes, ⌠I was ripped from my body... I want to know how and why it happened." he then turned back to the water. Syn refused to say anything further for not wanting to anger him further.

The soldiers also kept their mouths shut, knowing that at this time their task was rowing to the island in the center of the lake.

******************************************************

It was far into nightfall by the time they reached the island. King had thought it would take this long due to the stories that were told to him about the Grand Oracle. Only the Boatman could row the boat himself to and from the island within the span of an hour. Anyone else it would take a day... if not more.

The three jumped out and pulled the boat up onto the beach. Syn leapt out and landed on the wet sand then turned back to King who was standing at the water's edge. His eyes still locked at the dark water before him.

⌠The water here is as warm as a bath... the water at the far shore is as cold as Ice." he said to no one. Syn did not comment and just helped the three drag the boat up onto the shore to keep it from floating away and stranding them on the island.

The island was shrouded in a thick gray fog. Syn had seen this before when she was younger, when she had come to the Grand Oracle. It angered her to be back on the island, back where the Grand Oracle rested. She clenched her hand tightly and let out a soft growl.

⌠Calm yourself Syn." King patted her shoulder, " Tessa is gone... just the Oracle and the fog here now."

Syn nodded but kept her guard up. In accordance to the laws of the Grand Oracle they had to leave their weapons with the boat. Syn believed this was to keep what happened to the boatman from happening to the Oracles.

The three soldiers made their way ahead. They were well trained in unarmed combat but like all of the soldiers in the army of the kingdom of the Wind, still they enjoyed the feel of the cloth grips... it was comforting to them.

The temple was large and made of pure white marble. Carvings along the front columns and entryway depicted their view of how the world was created... how the Dark Ones sacrificed themselves to create the world and from that the gods sprang from their final death throes.

King had heard this many times before from Mages. They stated that the gods departed the magic to those on the planet that they found worthy... the first ones were powerful and some are still among the living... though their descendants state that their ancestors rest in the land beyond life. Only one creature in creation knows the truth... the Grand Oracle.

He turned to the soldiers and told them to wait outside. Syn looked on and waited for him to say the same to her but he did not. He simply walked through the doors of the temple and reached the inner sanctum and was greeted with a body lying on the floor of the temple. King let out a howl of rage, ⌠DAMN IT!"

Syn walked around the room... trying to see if any of the priests survived. After searching the temple it looked like they had all been slain. The trip had been in vain.

King felt as if his long search for the truth to those missing hours were forever lost and he fell to his knees and slammed his fist into the solid marble floor... feeling it slightly give way to the force of his blow.

⌠Please..." a voice croaked out,■ Do not take your anger out on my floors."

King's eyes quickly searched for the owner of the voice... yet were greeted by one of the corpses slowly getting to its feet. The bodies around it also began to stir... until nearly every corpse was standing and smacking their holy robes to clear them of dirt.

⌠King?" Syn slowly griped King's shoulder and trembled with fright. She had seen undead before... they all had... yet these were holy men... they were beyond the power of a necromancer...

King however nodded, ⌠I am sorry Grand Oracle...■ he then slowly stood up and smiled. ⌠I will send a tithe to the temple to pay for any damages."

The man that was the Grand Oracle nodded and reached out slowly... King thought he was gesturing for him to come closer when one of the now living priests walked up to the Grand Oracle with a large wolf mask.

King watched... he did not know of what happened inside the temple... that was left for those that entered the temple... no one else...

The Grand Oracle took the mask from the priest and smiled before slipping the mask onto his face... It was small... painted like as if an ancient primitive had taken finger paints and made a crude idol. Yet as soon as The Grand Oracle's hands were down at his side his body began to cave in on itself... his arms became bone thin... his hands shrinking back into his bracers... which were slowly growing and crawling with glowing runes... The holy robes fell from his body, leaving him in just the bottoms of his robes... his stomach shrank and caved in as if someone had scooped it out and sucked the skin against the ribs and spine of the body...

Syn took a deep breath and disturbed the moment for King... he turned to see if his friend was doing alright... however he saw her face turning white... her mouth hanging open in fear.

King turned back to the Grand Oracle... or rather the thing that was the Grand Oracle.... the image had changed to that of a monstrous form... The mask had grown to nearly half the size of the Oracle... its form no longer looked as if an ape man took finger to pain but rather as if a living wolf demon had taken its face and placed it on the mask... Its eyes glowed a horrid green and the nostrils flared...

Its hands were large claws... each finger suspended in air... its feet were large... like King's... large and animalistic... however it sported two talon like toes.

King swallowed and approached the Grand Oracle.

⌠Gran...■

The Oracle raised his hand and shook his head, ⌠Do not speak.. Talus... do not speak unless I say you can." The voice sounded as if two people were speaking... one the Grand Oracle and the other a gravely dark voice... filled with eons of hate and anger. " I know you come to see why you do not know what happened to your first Queen."

King nodded. He thought about saying more but because of what the Grand Oracle had said he stayed quiet.

" Want me to tell you?"

King nodded and felt Syn's grip tighten on his shoulder.

" You were there... Talus... you were there and you saw everything... however you were also not there... you did not see anything that happened." The mask of the Oracle seemed to smirk at this. " Now you may leave."

King's mouth opened... but his voice did not rise more than a whisper... Syn growled out loud, " NO!" she stomped forward and poked the Grand Oracle in his bony ribs. " WE WILL NOT LEAVE!"

The Oracle nodded. Syn stepped back and for a moment it seemed as if the Oracle would say something but instead two priests stepped up and grabbed her. Pulling her outside of the temple... while two others waited by the doors... shutting the doors after Syn was thrown out of the temple and the two priests walked back through the doors and the two that had followed them shut the doors and bolted them.

King glanced around... It was just himself, the Oracle, and the priests.. .

" Speak.... what do you really want? You know what happened... now tell us what you want." The Oracle seemed to gaze through King... making him feel naked and totally defenseless...

" I do not know what happened... " King sighed.

The Grand Oracle shook his head, " No you have dreamed what happened... you have seen that other you... you have seen bits of his life... you know that there is another you that came here... then left... you know that you hate this other you... and want to make him as miserable as you are now... "

King closed his eyes and after many quiet moments he nodded, " I get visions of Jeddan... only ... she is different... I see friends... family... only different... they call me Trades... "

The Oracle nodded, " Yes... and what do you want?"

King thought and grinned... he had thought about this... he had not believed in a word all his life...

That day... the blackout and Tessla changed all that...

" I want revenge."

The Oracle nodded and raised his hands... the others in the room did the same. Chanting slowly. King grinned and closed his eyes. 


End file.
